Crown Lands: Following on from the last couple of posts, the third point in our check list that we would search for in determining whether there is likely to be integrity in the public service, is a transparent procedure for dealing in public lands.
In Anguilla, as in many of the British Overseas Territories in the West Indies, Crown Lands are dealt with in the Governor's sole discretion. In practice, this means that the Governor relies on the advice of Cabinet or the Executive Council, and there is no accountability to the Legislative Assembly. The integrity of dealings in public lands ought to be enforced by having any resolution to deal in any significant area of public land, which in a small territory may be as little as a half acre, brought to the House of Assembly for public debate.
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I wasn't aware that there was any Crown Land remaining. I thought the previous administrations had given it all away. All the good stuff anyway. - Scotty
ReplyDeleteThe lie that we have no Crown land left were brought to you by the folks who promised us no new borrowing, no new or increased taxes and an open, transparent government.
ReplyDeleteWhy couldn't there be a regular reporting on status of crown lands? Open and transparent government and all that.
ReplyDeleteToo much bother, or too much information that could potentially prove embarrassing to powers that be. If they could embarrass their opponents, they would--except when they want to get their fingers sticky in the pie...
Sticky as in "Five Finger Discount". - Scotty
ReplyDelete